Adjustable wire stripper

ABSTRACT

An adjustable wire stripper comprises a pair of stripper blades attached to associated jaw members pivotably coupled to one another, the extent of closure of the jaw members being controlled by the cooperable engagement between a cam means coupled to one of the jaw members and a cam engaging means coupled to the other of said jaw members, the cam means, in one embodiment, being slidably movable lengthwise of its associated jaw member in discrete steps to selectively position given portions of a cam means surface in confronting relationship with the cam engaging means on the other jaw member so that upon closure of the jaw members the cam engaging means is caused to abut a predetermined portion of the cam means surface. Discrete positioning of the cam means is accomplished by the employment of a detent arrangement including, in one embodiment, a series of aligned depressions in the cam means engagable with a protrusion on its associated jaw member, the cam means being biased towards the protrusion for releasable retention in any one given position. In a further embodiment, the cam means is fixedly coupled to its associated jaw member while the cam engaging means is slidably movable along the length of its associated jaw member. The stripper blades may be disposed on an offset portion of the jaw members to provide a more comfortable stripping motion. Indicia provided on one of the jaw members serves as a strip length indicator adjacent the stripper blades. A pair of cooperating cutting edges may be provided for severing a given length of the conductor from the remainder thereof.

United States Patent [191 Wittes et al.

[ ADJUSTABLE WIRE STRIPPER [75] Inventors: James M. Wittes, Linden; Louis A.

Netta, North Brunswick, both of NJ.

[73] Assignee: Thomas & Betts Corporation,

Elizabeth, NJ.

[22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 463,754

[52] U.S. Cl 81/9.5 R, 81/331, 81/341 [51] Int. Cl H02g 1/12 [58] Field of Search 8l/9.5 R, 9.5 B, 341, 329,

Primary ExaminerA1 Lawrence Smith Assistant ExaminerRoscoe V, Parker Attorney, Agent, or Firm-David Teschner; Jesse Woldman [5 7] ABSTRACT An adjustable wire stripper comprises a pair of stripperblades attached to associated jaw members pivotably coupled to one another, the extent of closure of the jaw members being controlled by the cooperable engagement between a cam means coupled to one of the jaw members and a cam engaging means coupled to the other of said jaw members, the cam means, in one embodiment, being slidably movable lengthwise of its associated jaw memberin discrete steps to selectively position given portions of a cam means surface in confronting relationship with the cam engaging means on the other jaw member so that upon closure of the jaw members the cam engaging means is caused to abut a predetermined portion of the cam means surface. Discrete positioning of the cam means is accomplished by the employment of a detent arrangement including, in one embodiment, a series of aligned depressions in the cam means engagable with a protrusion on its associated jaw member, the cam means being biased towards the protrusion for releasable retention in any one given position. In a further embodiment, the cam means is fixedly coupled to its associ' ated jaw member while the cam engaging means is slidably movable along the length of its associated jaw member. The stripper blades may be disposed on an offset portion of the jaw members to provide a more comfortable stripping motion. lndicia provided on one of the jaw members serves as a strip length indicator adjacent the stripper blades. A pair of cooperating cutting edges may be provided for severing a given length of the conductor from the remainder thereof.

20 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures 1 ADJUSTABLE WIRE STRIPPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention is direction to the field of stripping devices for electrical conductors or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art There are in general use two major types of manually operable wire strippers adapted to remove the insulation from electrical conductors or the like. The more complex and expensive devices, as exemplified in US. Pat. No. 3,128,652 issued to W. G. Schinske on Apr. 14, 1964, comprises essentially a pair of jaw members arranged so that the wire stripping end thereof moves in a direction opposite to that of the hand gripping portion so that the slug of insulation severed by the cutting blades on the stripping end of the tool is also caused to be removed from the stripped end of the conductor upon continued closure'of the handle portion of the stripper. This type of device, although relatively efficient, requires a complex assembly of interrelated elements resulting in a high manufacturing cost and increased susceptibility to malfunction on part failure. A

I more economical and less complex device includes the type of wire stripper exemplified ig ll S. Rat, No. 3,733,627 issued to Epstein on May 22, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,404 issued to Hickman on Nov. 8, 1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,130,616 issued to Miller on Apr. 28, 1964; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,158 issued to Miller on Dec. 9, 195 8. All but the last of the above mentioned patents comprise a pair of jaw members arranged in scissors-like fashion and having a stripping portion at one end and a handle grip portion at the other. The stripper blade closure is regulated by the manipulation of a disk-like cam member eccentrically rotatable about a pivot on one of the jaw members and engagable with a stop means on the other of said jaw members. These devices, although embodying relatively simple mechanisms, require the use of an external tool such as a screw driver or the like to lock the cam member in a desired position. Additionally, due to the nature of the eccentric cam and the method of mounting thereof, accurate adjustment is often not only difficult but also generally time consuming and cumbersome. A further difficulty with this arrangement is the tendency of the eccentrically mounted cam member to be displaced out of adjustment as it is brought into abutting contact with the engaging means on the opposite handle of the strip per. The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,863,158 differs from the aforesaid devices in that a sliding member is employed for controlling the extent of a jaw closure. However, two separate manipulations are required to establish a required setting both manipulations requiring manipulative acumen to establish an accurate adjustment of the stripper blades. Accordingly, re-establishment of a particular setting after a change has been made therein requires the user to repeat the above procedure in each case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION justment is accomplished, in one embodiment, by the 1 employment of a cam means slidable lengthwise of its ing slot in its associated jaw member. In an alternative.

embodiment, the cam means may be suitably slotted and the jaw member provided with a rib portion slidably engagable within the cam means slot. Situated 7 within the cam means is an obliquely angled cam surand repetitive stripper blade settings. Stripper blade adface which may be either planar or stepped for cooperative engagement with the cam means so that, upon movement of the cam means, selective portions of the cam surface are presented to the cam engaging means for controlling the closure of the jaw members. Predetermined selective positioning of the cam means may be accomplished by the employment of a series of aligned notches or indentations extending lengthwise of the cam means and engagable with a protruding finger affixed to the jaw member.

In a further embodiment, the cam means is fixedly coupled to is associated jaw member and comprises an obliquely oriented surface disposed preferably within the confines of the jaw member and engagable with a slidably movable cam engaging means coupled to the other jaw member. The cam means may be further provided with one or more window-like apertures for viewing indicia located on the leg portion upon which the cam means is slidable to indicate, for example, the conductor size for which the stripper blades are adjusted. The ends of the jaw members containing the stripper blades may be disposed generally at right angles to the plane of the jaw members to facilitate more convenient removal of the slug of severed insulation from the conductor. Additional features include a return spring for biasing the jaw members in an open position for more convenient manipulation thereof, and locking means comprising, in one embodiment, an undercut portion on the cam engaging means engagable with a shoulder within the cam means to maintain the jaw members in a closed position during nonuse. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable wire stripper.

It is another object of this invention to provide positive, repetitive setting means for an adjustable wire stripper.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a means for accurately controlling the extent of closure of the stripping blades of an adjustable wire stripper.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a slidable adjustment for controlling the stripper blade opening of an adjustable wire stripper.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an improved detent mechanism for establishing predetermined settings for the stripper blades of an adjustable wire stripper.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a more comfortable movement of the users hand in a manually operated adjustable wire stripper.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an adjustable wire stripper'arranged to balance the forces applied'to the adjusting means to insure maintenance of a predetermined setting.

Other objects and features will bepointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode contemplated for carrying it out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational viewof an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly cut away and partly in section, of the adjustment portion of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section, of a further embodiment of the adjustment portion of an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view, in section, of the cam means of the device of FIG. 1 taken along the line 4-4.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section and partly cut away, showing the locking means of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly cut away and partly in section, of another embodiment of the adjustment portion of an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a further embodiment of the cam means of an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary'top plan view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly cut away and partly in section, of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 showing the stripper portion thereof closed about a portion of an insulated conductor.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing still another embodiment of the adjustment means of an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

- FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view, in section, taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view, in section, of a further embodiment ofa cam means and jaw member assembly of an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section and partly cut away, of a further embodiment of an adjustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention.

FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view, in section, taken along the line 15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view, in section, taken along the line 16--l6 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a bottom plan view, in section, of a further embodiment of the jaw member configuration of an Similar elements are given similar reference characters in each of the respective drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown an adjustable wire stripper 20 constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. The adjustable wire stripper 20 comprises a pivot pin 22 extending through aligned apertures (not shown) in a first jaw member 24 and a second jaw member 26, each of said jaw members 24, 26 having a first end 28, 30, respectively, and a second end 32, 34, respectively. To provide more comfortable operation, a portion of the first ends 28 and 30 of the jaw members 24, 26 are formed at right angles to the plane of the jaw members, as shown more clearly in FIG. 9, the right angle portions having thereon stripping means 36 and 38 (FIG. 8), each comprising essentially V-shaped notches having beveled surfaces terminating in sharpened edges and adapted to cooperate with one another to engage and sever the insulation about an insulated conductor as the jaw members 24, 26 are manipulated towards a closed position in response to hand pressure applied thereto. The second jaw member 26 further comprises a leg portion 40 extending lengthwise of the jaw member 26 and generally parallel to the inner edge 42 thereof. Slidably disposed on the leg portion 40 is a cam means 44 which, as more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, comprises a leg receiving slot 46 through which the leg portion 40 extends. Cam means 44 further comprises a cam surface 48 extending generally oblique to the longitudinal axis of the cam means 44, and a series of selectively spaced, aligned indentations 50 disposed slightly inwardly of one edge of the cam means 44. As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the leg portion 40 may have provided thereon selective indicia 52 which, for example,

may be employed to indicate the proper setting of the adustable wire stripper constructed in accordance with cam means 44 for indicated predetermined wire gauge sizes. The obliquely angled cam surface 48, although shown in FIG. 2 as generally planar, may comprise a series of steps 54 (FIG. 3) on a cam means 44' following a similar path for engagement with a cam engaging means 56 rigidly affixed to the first jaw member 24 and having a flattened end 58, and an undercut portion 60 located adjacent the lower edge thereof. The undercut portion 60 is adapted to engage a post 62 adjacent the lower edge of the cam means 44 or 44' to provide locking means for the jaw members of the wire stripper in a manner shown, for example, in FIG. 5. Engagement between the cam engaging means 56 and the step 62 is accomplished by moving the cam means 44' upwardly in a direction indicated by the arrow 64 in FIG. 5 until the undercut portion 60 of the cam engaging means 56 coacts with the post 62, as shown in FIG. 5. To disengage the locking mechanism it is merely necessary to move the cam means 44' towards the second end 34 of the second jaw member 26 in a direction indicated by the arrow 66 in FIG. 5. Rigidly affixed to the second jaw member 26 is a raised portion 68 extending outwardly from the inner edge of the second jaw member 26 so as to cooperatively engage selective ones of the recesses 50in the cam means 44 (See FIG. 2). Accordingly, the cam means 44 may be conveniently and rapidly repetitively positioned in discrete predetermined steps along the leg portion 40 to permit engagement of selective portions of the cam surface 48 with the cam engaging means 56 to regulate and control the extent of movement-of the first jaw member 24 towards the second jaw member 26. It should be further noted that the cam engaging means 56 upon contact with the cam surface 48 of the cam means 44 is in general alignment with the raised portion 68 on the second jaw member 26 so that the raised portion 68 provides an anvil-like support for the cam means 44 or 44 preventing its displacement in either direction from a preselected position upon the application of the force generated thereagainst by the cam engaging means 56. Thus, the force applied to the cam means 44 or 44' by the cam engaging means 56 upon closure of the first jaw member 24 thereagainst is substantially counteracted by an opposing force supplied by the raised portion 68 on the opposite side of the cam means 44 or 44 so that the cam means 44 or 44' is, in effect, substantially balanced in its preselected position on the leg member 40 thus relieving the leg member 40 of undue stress during operation of the stripper 20. This feature is also applicable to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. It should be further noted that the end 58 of the cam engaging means 56 is oriented to coincide with the inclined surface 48 of the cam means 44 to provide an extended area of contact therebetween. As shown in greater detail in FIG. 6, a cam means 45 is provided with biasing means such as a spring 70 which bears against the leg portion 40 to resiliently urge the cam means towards the right, as viewed in FIG. 6, and against the raised portion 68 to provide a detent action between the raised portion 68 and the indentations 50. The spring 70 is coupled to the cam means 45 through formed ends 72 and 74 engaging the upper and lower ends of the cam means 45. As further illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cam means may also comprise viewing means such as the single window 76 shown in FIG. 6 or a double window as at 78 in FIG. 7, to permit viewing selected portions of the indicia 52 on the leg portion 40 therethrough. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the upper surface of the cam means 47 comprises indicia 80 and 82, the former indicating the letters STR as an abbreviation for word STRANDED, and the indicia applied to the upper surface latter spelling out the word SOLID, both terms referring to the type of conductor configuration from which the insulation is to be stripped. It has been generally found that, for a given conductor gauge the outside diameter of stranded wire of a particular gauge is slightly greater than the diameter ofa solid wire having the same gauge member. Consequently by employing the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 7, a particular setting of the cam means 47 will indicate the proper size stranded wire and the proper size solid wire for which the stripper blades are set. Returning now specifically to FIGS. 1 and 9, there is provided a spring member 84 partly encircling the pivot means 22 intermediate the first and second jaw members 24 and 26 respectively. Each of the jaw members is recessed on its inner surface to provide a pocket or nest for the spring member 84 while a small aperture, such as 86, (see FIG. 1) is provided in each of the jawmembers to receive the respective hooked ends of the spring member 84 thus providing biasing means for maintaining the jaw members 24 and 26 in an open position substantially as shown in FIG. 1 to avoid the necessity for manually opening the jaw members after each stripping operation. It will of course be clear that the spring member 84 may be replaced by other suitable biasing means such as, for example, a hair pin spring (not shown) affixed to outside portions of each of the jaw members 24 to perform a similar function. Alternatively, the spring member 84 may be omitted completely, if necessary or desirable, so that selective manipulation of the jaw members 24 and 26 is performed manually by the user. As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the second jaw member 26 may be provided with gauging indicia 87 extending from the stripping means 38 towards the pivot means 22 along one face of the second jaw member 26. As is more clearly shown in FIG. 10, the indicia 87 provides a rapid and convenient means for indicating the length of insulation to be stripped from an insulated conductor such as 88 interposed between the stripping means 36 and 38 of the stripper 20. A pair of opposing beveled surfaces 90, 92 formed, respectively, in the first and second jaw members 24, 26 coact to provide a shear for cutting a conductor to a desired length either before or after stripping.

Turning now to FIGS. 11 and 12, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the adjustment portion of an adjustable wire stripper in which a cam means 94 is provided with a rib 96 extending along one edge thereof, rib 96 being slidably disposed within a rib receiving slot 98 extending along the inner edge of a second jaw member 104). The cam means 94 may thus be slidably displaced along the second jaw member 100 to a predetermined or preselected position which may be indicated by an indicator line, such as 102 alignable with a series of indicia such as 104- provided on the adjacent surface of the second jaw member 100. Discrete positioning of the cam means 94 in selective predetermined steps is accomplished by providing a detent arrangement comprising'a series of indentations extending lengthwise of the cam means rib 96 in a manner similar to the arrangement indicated by the numeral 50 in FIG. 2. The indentations are arranged to cooperate with a spring biased member, such. as a ball 106, which is urged against the indentations by a spring 108 extending transversely through an aperture 110 in the second jaw member 101). The spring 108 may be locked in position by a threaded member 112 threadably coupled to the second jaw member 100, substantially as shown in FIG. 12. This arrangement may be modified as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 13, where there is shown a cam means 114 having a longitudinally extending slot 116 slidably engaging a rib 118 extending lengthwise along the inner edge of a second jaw member 126 to provide an arrangement generally complementary to that shown in FIG. 12. As with the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 12, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13 further includes a detent mechanism comprising a spring biased ball 122 adapted to engage a respective series of indentations 124 extending longitudinally within the cam means 114. A biasing spring 126 supported within a generally transverse aperture 128 bears against the detent ball 122 to provide discrete positioning for the cam means 114 in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 14, 15, and 16, there is shown a further embodiment of an adjustable wire stripper 13f) constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. In this embodiment, a cam engaging means 132 has a foot portion 134 slidably disposed within a slot 136 extending lengthwise along an 7 inner edge of a first jaw member 138. As with the cam engaging means 56 illustrated in FIG. 1, the cam engaging means 132 comprises an undercut portion 140 adjacent a flattened end 142 of the cam engaging means 132 to provide a hook-like extension for engagement with a stepped portion 144 in a second jaw member 146 of the stripper 130. The remaining portions of the stripper 130 are essentially duplicative of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and further comprise pivot means 148 pivotably coupling the jaw members 138 and 146 to one another in similar fashion. The cam engaging means 132 is arranged to cooperate with a stepped surface 150 provided within the second jaw member 146 so that the end 142 of the cam engaging means 132 may be brought into abutting relationship with selective portions of the stepped surface 150 so as to control the extend of the closure of the first jaw member 138 with respect to the second jaw member 146. The steps of the stepped surface 150 extend along an axis oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the second jaw member 146 in a manner similar to that shown and described above with respect to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. To provide for discrete and predetermined positioning of the cam engaging means 132, the first jaw member 138 is provided with aseries of indentations or recesses 152 similar to the indentations 50 shown in FIG. 2. Cooperative with the indentations 152 is a dentent arrangement comprising a resiliently biased member such as a ball 154 adapted to cooperate with each of the indentations 152 and biased there-against by a spring 156 supported within a suitably proportioned aperture 158 in the cam engaging means 132. The first jaw member 138 may be provided with selective indicia such as indicated at 160 to guide the user in preselectively positioning the cam engaging means 132 according to the conductor gauged desired to be stripped. It will also be evident that the stepped surface 150 may also be modified to provide an arrangement similar to that shown, for example in FIG. '2 above, so that the discrete steps are eliminated and a planar surface substituted therefore.

Referring now to FIG. 17 the hand gripping portions of the jaw members 24 and 26 illustrated in FIG. 1 may be. modified as shown at 162 and 164 in FIG. 17 wherein the outer edges 166 and 168, respectively, of the jaw members are turned upwardly along the length thereof tending to provide a preferred orientation of the stripper in the operators hand. The up-turned portions 166 and 168 are arranged to coincide with the direction of extension of the stripping means 36 and 38 to provide tactile coordination between the stripping means 36 and 38 and the positional disposition of the stripper 20 in the operators hand.

Turning now to FIG. 18, there is shown a further embodiment of I an adjustable wire stripper 1'70 constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention. Stripper 170 comprises a cam means 172 having a rib portion 174 slidably engaged within a rib receiving slot 176 extending lengthwise of an inner edge of a first jaw member 178 pivotably coupled adjacent one end 180 by a pin 182 to one end 184 of a second jaw member 186 which is provided with a cam engaging means 188 arranged to abut selective portions of a cam sur-, face 190 of the cam means 172 as the jaw members 178 and 186 are operated towards a closed position in order to control the extent of closure thereof. The stripper 170 further comprises a pair of cooperating stripper blades and 192, coupled to the distal ends 194 and 196 of jaw members 178 and 186, respectively, and suitably beveled to provide shearing edges in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 8. The stripper blades 190, 192 may be disposed on offset portions of the ends 194 and 196 of the jaw members, as illustrated in FIG. 9, to provide similar manipulative comfort in the opera tion of the device. It will, of course, be further apparent to those skilled in the art that the manner of attaching both the cam means 172 and the cam engaging means 188 to their respective jaw members may include any one of the arrangements heretofore illustrated and described without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the concepts herein disclosed.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An adjustable wire stripper for removing insulation from an electrical conductor or the like comprising: a first jaw member having a first end and a second end; a second jaw member having a first end and a second end; pivot means coupling said first jaw member to said second jaw member; first stripping means disposed adjacent said first jaw member first end; second stripping means disposed adjacent said second jaw member first end; said first and said second stripping means being movable towards and away from one another upon corresponding movement of said first jaw member and said second jaw member about said pivot means; cam means comprising a surface planarly orientated at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said cam means and coupled to said second jaw member; and cam engaging means transversely extending from and coupled to said first jaw member; one of said cam means and said cam engaging means being slidably movable in discrete steps along its associated jaw member toward and away from said second end of its associated jaw member so that said cam engaging means is caused to cooperatively engage selective portions of said cam means to control the extent of closure of said first and said second stripping means upon corresponding movement of said first and said second jaw members.

2. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam means is slidably movable along said second jaw member and said cam engaging means is fixedly coupled to said first jaw member.

3. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said second jaw member comprises a leg portion, and said cam means has a leg receiving slot extending generally longitudinally therethrough, said leg portion extending cooperatively through said leg receiving slot for slidable movement of said cam means along said leg portion towards and away from said second jaw member second end.

4. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means comprises a longitudinally extending rib, said second jaw member has a rib receiving slot, said cam means rib being cooperatively disposed within said rib receiving slot for slidable movement of said cam means along said slot towards and away from said second jaw member second end.

5. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said second jaw member comprises a longitudinally extending rib, and said cam means has a rib receiving slot, said second jaw member rib being cooperatively disposed within said cam means rib receiving 9 slot for slidable movement of said cam means towards and away from said second jaw member second end.

6. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam engaging means further comprises means for releasably engaging said cam means upon selective movement of said first jaw member towards said second jaw member to selectively maintain said first and said second jaw members in a closed position.

7. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 6 wherein said cam engaging means comprises an undercut portion releasably engageable with said cam means for selectively maintaining said first and said second jaw members in a closed position.

8. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 further comprising a resilient member cooperable with said first and said second jaw members for returning said jaw members to an open position upon the release of said jaw members.

9. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 8 wherein said resilient member comprises spring means having first and second ends each engagable with a respeetive one of said first and said second jaw members.

wherein said cam means surface comprises a stepped 10. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said first and said second jaw member first ends are disposed generally normal to the plane of the remaining portion of said first and said second jaw members.

11. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means comprises a series of selectively indented portions arranged in aligned relationship, and said second jaw member comprises a raised portion cooperable with said indented portions to provide predetermined positioning of said cam means along said second jaw member.

12. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means surface comprises a planar surface disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said cam means and cooperative with said cam engaging means to selectively control the extent of closure of said first and said second jaw members.

surface planarly oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said cam means and cooperative with said cam engaging means to control the extent of closure of said first and said second jaw members.

14. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 3 wherein said leg portion is provided with selective indiera.

15. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 14 wherein said cam means has viewing means arranged to overlie said leg portions indicia to permit the viewing of selective portions thereof.

16. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 11 wherein said second jaw member raised portion and said cam engaging means are located substantially V equidistant from said pivot means.

17. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 1 along said first jaw member and said cam means is fixedly coupled to said second jaw member.

18. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 17 wherein said first jaw member comprises a slotted portion, and said cam engaging means comprises a foot portion slidably engaged within said first jaw member slotted portion for movement towards and away from said first jaw member second end.

19. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 17 wherein said second jaw member comprises a stepped surface planarly oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said second jaw member and cooperative with said cam engaging means to control the extent of closure of said first and said second jaw members.

20. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 17 wherein said cam engaging means comprises biased detent engaging means cooperable with a series of selectively formed depressions in said first jaw member to provide predetermined positioning of said cam engaging means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CQREC'HN patent No. 3,872,746 Dated March 25, 1975 lnventcfls) James M. Wittes and Louis A, Netta It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Columnl, line 23, "on" should be or Column 2, line 10, "of" should be or Column 2, line 18 after cam insert engaging Column 5, line 49, "member" should be number Signed and sealed this ZQth day of May 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

Ca MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer and Trademarks FORM PC4050 USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U,S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1969 O-366-334 

1. An adjustable wire stripper for removing insulation from an electrical conductor or the like comprising: a first jaw member having a first end and a second end; a second jaw member having a first end and a second end; pivot means coupling said first jaw member to said second jaw member; first stripping means disposed adjacent said first jaw member first end; second stripping means disposed adjacent said second jaw member first end; said first and said second stripping means being movable towards and away from one another upon corresponding movement of said first jaw member and said second jaw member about said pivot means; cam means comprising a surface planarly orientated at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said cam means and cOupled to said second jaw member; and cam engaging means transversely extending from and coupled to said first jaw member; one of said cam means and said cam engaging means being slidably movable in discrete steps along its associated jaw member toward and away from said second end of its associated jaw member so that said cam engaging means is caused to cooperatively engage selective portions of said cam means to control the extent of closure of said first and said second stripping means upon corresponding movement of said first and said second jaw members.
 2. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam means is slidably movable along said second jaw member and said cam engaging means is fixedly coupled to said first jaw member.
 3. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said second jaw member comprises a leg portion, and said cam means has a leg receiving slot extending generally longitudinally therethrough, said leg portion extending cooperatively through said leg receiving slot for slidable movement of said cam means along said leg portion towards and away from said second jaw member second end.
 4. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means comprises a longitudinally extending rib, said second jaw member has a rib receiving slot, said cam means rib being cooperatively disposed within said rib receiving slot for slidable movement of said cam means along said slot towards and away from said second jaw member second end.
 5. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said second jaw member comprises a longitudinally extending rib, and said cam means has a rib receiving slot, said second jaw member rib being cooperatively disposed within said cam means rib receiving slot for slidable movement of said cam means towards and away from said second jaw member second end.
 6. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam engaging means further comprises means for releasably engaging said cam means upon selective movement of said first jaw member towards said second jaw member to selectively maintain said first and said second jaw members in a closed position.
 7. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 6 wherein said cam engaging means comprises an undercut portion releasably engageable with said cam means for selectively maintaining said first and said second jaw members in a closed position.
 8. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 further comprising a resilient member cooperable with said first and said second jaw members for returning said jaw members to an open position upon the release of said jaw members.
 9. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 8 wherein said resilient member comprises spring means having first and second ends each engagable with a respective one of said first and said second jaw members.
 10. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said first and said second jaw member first ends are disposed generally normal to the plane of the remaining portion of said first and said second jaw members.
 11. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means comprises a series of selectively indented portions arranged in aligned relationship, and said second jaw member comprises a raised portion cooperable with said indented portions to provide predetermined positioning of said cam means along said second jaw member.
 12. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means surface comprises a planar surface disposed at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said cam means and cooperative with said cam engaging means to selectively control the extent of closure of said first and said second jaw members.
 13. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 2 wherein said cam means surface comprises a stepped surface planarly oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said cam means and cooperative with said cam engaging means to control the extent of closure of said first and said second jaw members.
 14. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 3 wherein said leg portion is provided with selective indicia.
 15. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 14 wherein said cam means has viewing means arranged to overlie said leg portions indicia to permit the viewing of selective portions thereof.
 16. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 11 wherein said second jaw member raised portion and said cam engaging means are located substantially equidistant from said pivot means.
 17. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam engaging means is slidably movable along said first jaw member and said cam means is fixedly coupled to said second jaw member.
 18. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 17 wherein said first jaw member comprises a slotted portion, and said cam engaging means comprises a foot portion slidably engaged within said first jaw member slotted portion for movement towards and away from said first jaw member second end.
 19. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 17 wherein said second jaw member comprises a stepped surface planarly oriented at an oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of said second jaw member and cooperative with said cam engaging means to control the extent of closure of said first and said second jaw members.
 20. An adjustable wire stripper as defined in claim 17 wherein said cam engaging means comprises biased detent engaging means cooperable with a series of selectively formed depressions in said first jaw member to provide predetermined positioning of said cam engaging means. 